2021 Climate Jobs Summit - Climate Jobs National Resource Center

Thank you for joining us!

We’re happy to report that our second-annual Climate Jobs Summit was a success. The summit featured Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, leaders and members of Climate Jobs NY unions, Climate Jobs coalitions from around the country, climate activists, environmental and environmental justice advocates, policymakers, and. teachers and scientists.

Click here for the Climate Jobs Summit video recording

We had over 1,400 people register for the summit, and we’re still tallying how many tuned in on the various platforms where it was streamed. Many thanks to everyone who participated in and promoted the summit!

The 2021 Climate Jobs Summit brought together state Climate Jobs coalitions, labor leaders, union climate activists, environmental and environmental justice advocates, clean-energy developers, policymakers, scientists, and all who want to build the clean-energy economy of tomorrow with good union jobs. In addition, the Summit will feature speakers and panelists from around the country and the world.

We talked about how climate change and inequality are inextricably linked, dig into the once-in-a-generation opportunity to create good family-sustaining jobs by developing the renewable energy sector, and engage in a holistic discussion about just transition for workers in fossil fuel industries and their communities.

At a time that calls for public investment on a scale not seen since the Great Depression, let’s invest in the clean energy economy of the future, assure that the new clean energy jobs hire union workers, take climate action at a scale science demands and address the crisis of extreme inequality.

The Summit is sponsored by the Climate Jobs National Resource Center (CJNRC), the CJNRC Action Fund, Climate Jobs New York (CJNY), the CJNY Education Fund, and the Worker Institute and the Lois Gray Labor Innovation Initiative at Cornell University’s ILR School.

THE CLIMATE JOBS SUMMIT AGENDA SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

9:30 AM Welcome, Purpose, and Review of the Day

Gary LaBarbara, President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and New York State Building and Construction Trades Council & Climate Jobs NY
Michael Fishman, President and Executive Director, Climate Jobs National Resource Center

Opening Lightning Round: Messages from Labor and Allies on How to Ensure Good Jobs In Clean Energy Industries

Maulian Dana, Tribal Ambassador, Penobscot Nation
Eric Dean, General President International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental & Reinforcing Iron Workers (IW)
Aliya Haq, Vice President, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Breakthrough Energy
Becky Pringle, President, National Education Association (NEA)
Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Secretary Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Department of Transportation

Video: Labor is Leading: Building the Climate Jobs Movement with Climate Jobs National Resource Center

10:15 AM Ali Zaidi, Deputy White House National Climate Advisor

10:30 AM American Jobs Plan: Impact & Opportunities for Clean Energy and Good Jobs

Moderator: Lara Skinner, Director, Labor Leading on Climate Initiative, Worker Institute at Cornell University ILR School

Marilyn Brown, Director, Georgia Tech, Climate and Energy Policy Laboratory
John Cartwright, President, Toronto/York Labour Council (Retired)
John Doherty, Special Assistant to the General President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
John Podesta, Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors, Center for American Progress (CAP)
Chris Shelton, President, Communication Workers of America (CWA)

12:00 PM Break

12:15 PM Equity and Good Jobs in a Clean Economy: State Strategies for Winning Labor Standards and Equity in Opportunity

Moderator: Vincent Alvarez, President, New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO & Climate Jobs NY

Priscilla De La Cruz, Senior Director, Government Affairs at Audubon Society of Rhode Island, President of the Environment Council of Rhode Island, Co-host Climate Jobs Illinois
Aziz Dehkan, Executive Director and Lead Organizer, Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs
Pat Devaney, Secretary-Treasurer, Illinois AFL-CIO & Climate Jobs Illinois
Cynthia Phinney, President, Maine State Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
Melissa Shetler, Executive Director, Pathways to Apprenticeship

1:45 PM Two Concurrent Panel Discussions:

Building Carbon Free and Healthy Schools

Moderator: Nikki Budzinski, Advisor, Climate Jobs National Resource Center

Joseph Bryant, President, Service Employees International Union, Local 1021 (SEIU)
Seanelle Leesang, Science Teacher, IS 68 Brooklyn, United Federation of Teachers (UFT)
JP Patafio, Bus Operator/VP Transportation Workers Union Local 100 (TWU) & Climate Jobs NY
Anil Singh, 2021 NYC public schools graduate, Sunrise Movement member
Justin Thompson, Senior Policy Analyst, National Education Association (NEA)
Gina Walsh, Deputy Director of Heat and Frost Insulators Cooperative Trust & Climate Jobs Illinois Executive Board

Building a Robust, Equitable Offshore Wind Industry in the U.S.

Moderator: Lee Smith, Managing Member, American Solar Partners (ASP)

Hae-Lin Choi, New York State Political Director, Communications Workers of America District 1 (CWA)
Doreen Harris, President and Chief Executive Officer, NY Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Eric Hines, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University
David Langlais, Business Manager, Iron Workers Local 137 (IW)
Amanda Lefton, Director, Bureau Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM)
Grant Provost, Business Agent, Iron Workers Local 7 (IW)

3:15 PM Secretary Marty Walsh, U.S. Department of Labor

3:40 PM Liz Shuler, President, AFL-CIO

3:50 PM Closing and Call to Action

Kyle Bragg, President, Service Employees International Union, 32BJ (SEIU) & Climate Jobs NY

4:00 PM Adjourn